Debt |
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| Debt Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt |
DEBT
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, our debt consisted of the following (in millions):
Below is a schedule of future principal payments that we are obligated to make, based on current construction schedules, on our outstanding debt at December 31, 2017 (in millions):
Senior Notes
SPL Senior Notes
In February 2017, SPL issued an aggregate principal amount of $800 million of the 2037 SPL Senior Notes on a private placement basis in reliance on the exemption from registration provided for under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In March 2017, SPL issued an aggregate principal amount of $1.35 billion, before discount, of the 2028 SPL Senior Notes. Net proceeds of the offerings of the 2037 SPL Senior Notes and the 2028 SPL Senior Notes were $789 million and $1.33 billion, respectively, after deducting the initial purchasers’ commissions (for the 2028 SPL Senior Notes) and estimated fees and expenses. The net proceeds of the 2037 SPL Senior Notes, after provisioning for incremental interest required during construction, were used to prepay the then outstanding borrowings of $369 million under the 2015 SPL Credit Facilities and, along with the net proceeds of the 2028 SPL Senior Notes, the remainder is being used to pay a portion of the capital costs in connection with the construction of Trains 1 through 5 of the Liquefaction Project in lieu of the terminated portion of the commitments under the 2015 SPL Credit Facilities.
In connection with the issuance of the 2037 SPL Senior Notes and the 2028 SPL Senior Notes, SPL terminated the remaining available balance of $1.6 billion under the 2015 SPL Credit Facilities, resulting in a write-off of debt issuance costs associated with the 2015 SPL Credit Facilities of $42 million during the year ended December 31, 2017.
The terms of the 2021 SPL Senior Notes, 2022 SPL Senior Notes, 2023 SPL Senior Notes, 2024 SPL Senior Notes, 2025 SPL Senior Notes, 2026 SPL Senior Notes, 2027 SPL Senior Notes and 2028 SPL Senior Notes (collectively with the 2037 SPL Senior Notes, the “SPL Senior Notes”) are governed by a common indenture (the “SPL Indenture”) and the terms of the 2037 SPL Senior Notes are governed by a separate indenture (the “2037 SPL Senior Notes Indenture”). Both the SPL Indenture and the 2037 SPL Senior Notes Indenture contain customary terms and events of default and certain covenants that, among other things, limit SPL’s ability and the ability of SPL’s restricted subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness or issue preferred stock, make certain investments or pay dividends or distributions on capital stock or subordinated indebtedness or purchase, redeem or retire capital stock, sell or transfer assets, including capital stock of SPL’s restricted subsidiaries, restrict dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries, incur liens, enter into transactions with affiliates, dissolve, liquidate, consolidate, merge, sell or lease all or substantially all of SPL’s assets and enter into certain LNG sales contracts. Subject to permitted liens, the SPL Senior Notes are secured on a pari passu first-priority basis by a security interest in all of the membership interests in SPL and substantially all of SPL’s assets. SPL may not make any distributions until, among other requirements, deposits are made into debt service reserve accounts as required and a debt service coverage ratio test of 1.25:1.00 is satisfied. Semi-annual principal payments for the 2037 SPL Senior Notes are due on March 15 and September 15 of each year beginning September 15, 2025. Interest on the SPL Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears.
At any time prior to three months before the respective dates of maturity for each series of the SPL Senior Notes (except for the 2026 SPL Senior Notes, 2027 SPL Senior Notes, 2028 SPL Senior Notes and 2037 SPL Senior Notes, in which case the time period is six months before the respective dates of maturity), SPL may redeem all or part of such series of the SPL Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to the “make-whole” price (except for the 2037 SPL Senior Notes, in which case the redemption price is equal to the “optional redemption” price) set forth in the respective indentures governing the SPL Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. SPL may also, at any time within three months of the respective maturity dates for each series of the SPL Senior Notes (except for the 2026 SPL Senior Notes, 2027 SPL Senior Notes, 2028 SPL Senior Notes and 2037 SPL Senior Notes, in which case the time period is within six months of the respective dates of maturity), redeem all or part of such series of the SPL Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such series of the SPL Senior Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption.
2025 CQP Senior Notes
In September 2017, we issued an aggregate principal amount of $1.5 billion of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes, which are jointly and severally guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries other than SPL and, subject to certain conditions governing the release of its guarantee, Sabine Pass LNG-LP, LLC (collectively, the “CQP Guarantors”). Net proceeds of the offering of approximately $1.5 billion, after deducting the initial purchasers’ commissions and estimated fees and expenses, were used to prepay a portion of the outstanding indebtedness under the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities, resulting in a write-off of debt issuance costs associated with the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities of $25 million during the year ended December 31, 2017.
Borrowings under the 2025 CQP Senior Notes accrue interest at a fixed rate of 5.250%, and interest on the 2025 CQP Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. The 2025 CQP Senior Notes are governed by an indenture (the “CQP Indenture”), which contains customary terms and events of default and certain covenants that, among other things, limit our ability and the ability of the CQP Guarantors to incur liens and sell assets, enter into transactions with affiliates, enter into sale-leaseback transactions and consolidate, merge or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the applicable entity’s properties or assets.
At any time prior to October 1, 2020, we may redeem all or a part of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes redeemed, plus the “applicable premium” set forth in the CQP Indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. In addition, at any time prior to October 1, 2020, we may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes with an amount of cash not greater than the net cash proceeds from certain equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 105.250% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of redemption. We also may at any time on or after October 1, 2020 through the maturity date of October 1, 2025, redeem the 2025 CQP Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices set forth in the CQP Indenture.
The 2025 CQP Senior Notes are our senior obligations, ranking equally in right of payment with our other existing and future unsubordinated debt and senior to any of our future subordinated debt. The 2025 CQP Senior Notes will be secured alongside the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities on a first-priority basis (subject to permitted encumbrances) with liens on (1) substantially all the existing and future tangible and intangible assets and our rights and the rights of the CQP Guarantors and equity interests in the CQP Guarantors (except, in each case, for certain excluded properties set forth in the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities) and (2) substantially all of the real property of SPLNG (except for excluded properties referenced in the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities). The liens securing the 2025 CQP Senior Notes would be released if (1) the aggregate principal amount of all indebtedness then outstanding under the term loans under the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities secured by such liens does not exceed $1.0 billion and (2) the aggregate amount of our secured indebtedness and the secured indebtedness of the CQP Guarantors (other than the 2025 CQP Senior Notes or any other series of notes issued under the CQP Indenture) outstanding at any one time, together with all Attributable Indebtedness (as defined in the CQP Indenture) from sale-leaseback transactions (subject to certain exceptions), does not exceed the greater of (1) $1.5 billion and (2) 10% of net tangible assets. Upon the release of the liens securing the 2025 CQP Senior Notes, the limitation on liens covenant under the CQP Indenture will continue to govern the incurrence of liens by us and the CQP Guarantors.
In connection with the closing of the sale of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes, we and the CQP Guarantors entered into a registration rights agreement (the “CQP Registration Rights Agreement”). Under the CQP Registration Rights Agreement, we and the CQP Guarantors have agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to file with the SEC and cause to become effective a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange any and all of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes for a like aggregate principal amount of our debt securities with terms identical in all material respects to the 2025 CQP Senior Notes sought to be exchanged (other than with respect to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate), within 360 days after September 18, 2017. Under specified circumstances, we and the CQP Guarantors have also agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of the 2025 CQP Senior Notes. We will be obligated to pay additional interest on the 2025 CQP Senior Notes if we fail to comply with our obligation to register the 2025 CQP Senior Notes within the specified time period.
Credit Facilities
Below is a summary of our credit facilities outstanding as of December 31, 2017 (in millions):
SPL Working Capital Facility
In September 2015, SPL entered into the SPL Working Capital Facility, which is intended to be used for loans to SPL (“Working Capital Loans”), the issuance of letters of credit on behalf of SPL, as well as for swing line loans to SPL (“Swing Line Loans”), primarily for certain working capital requirements related to developing and placing into operation the Liquefaction Project. SPL may, from time to time, request increases in the commitments under the SPL Working Capital Facility of up to $760 million and, upon the completion of the debt financing of Train 6 of the Liquefaction Project, request an incremental increase in commitments of up to an additional $390 million.
Loans under the SPL Working Capital Facility accrue interest at a variable rate per annum equal to LIBOR or the base rate (equal to the highest of the senior facility agent’s published prime rate, the federal funds effective rate, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, plus 0.50% and one month LIBOR plus 0.50%), plus the applicable margin. The applicable margin for LIBOR loans under the SPL Working Capital Facility is 1.75% per annum, and the applicable margin for base rate loans under the SPL Working Capital Facility is 0.75% per annum. Interest on Swing Line Loans and loans deemed made in connection with a draw upon a letter of credit (“LC Loans”) is due and payable on the date the loan becomes due. Interest on LIBOR loans is due and payable at the end of each applicable LIBOR period, and interest on base rate loans is due and payable at the end of each fiscal quarter. However, if such base rate loan is converted into a LIBOR loan, interest is due and payable on that date. Additionally, if the loans become due prior to such periods, the interest also becomes due on that date.
SPL pays (1) a commitment fee equal to an annual rate of 0.70% on the average daily amount of the excess of the total commitment amount over the principal amount outstanding without giving effect to any outstanding Swing Line Loans and (2) a letter of credit fee equal to an annual rate of 1.75% of the undrawn portion of all letters of credit issued under the SPL Working Capital Facility. If draws are made upon a letter of credit issued under the SPL Working Capital Facility and SPL does not elect for such draw (an “LC Draw”) to be deemed an LC Loan, SPL is required to pay the full amount of the LC Draw on or prior to the business day following the notice of the LC Draw. An LC Draw accrues interest at an annual rate of 2.0% plus the base rate. As of December 31, 2017, no LC Draws had been made upon any letters of credit issued under the SPL Working Capital Facility.
The SPL Working Capital Facility matures on December 31, 2020, and the outstanding balance may be repaid, in whole or in part, at any time without premium or penalty upon three business days’ notice. LC Loans have a term of up to one year. Swing Line Loans terminate upon the earliest of (1) the maturity date or earlier termination of the SPL Working Capital Facility, (2) the date 15 days after such Swing Line Loan is made and (3) the first borrowing date for a Working Capital Loan or Swing Line Loan occurring at least three business days following the date the Swing Line Loan is made. SPL is required to reduce the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all Working Capital Loans to zero for a period of five consecutive business days at least once each year.
The SPL Working Capital Facility contains conditions precedent for extensions of credit, as well as customary affirmative and negative covenants. The obligations of SPL under the SPL Working Capital Facility are secured by substantially all of the assets of SPL as well as all of the membership interests in SPL on a pari passu basis with the SPL Senior Notes.
2016 CQP Credit Facilities
In February 2016, we entered into the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities. The 2016 CQP Credit Facilities consist of: (1) a $450 million CTPL tranche term loan that was used to prepay the $400 million term loan facility (the “CTPL Term Loan”) in February 2016, (2) an approximately $2.1 billion SPLNG tranche term loan that was used to repay and redeem the approximately $2.1 billion of the senior notes previously issued by SPLNG in November 2016, (3) a $125 million debt service reserve credit facility (the “DSR Facility”) that may be used to satisfy a six-month debt service reserve requirement and (4) a $115 million revolving credit facility that may be used for general business purposes. In September 2017, we issued the 2025 CQP Senior Notes and the net proceeds of the issuance were used to prepay $1.5 billion of the outstanding indebtedness under the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities.
The 2016 CQP Credit Facilities accrue interest at a variable rate per annum equal to LIBOR or the base rate (equal to the highest of the prime rate, the federal funds effective rate, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, plus 0.50% and adjusted one month LIBOR plus 1.0%), plus the applicable margin. The applicable margin for LIBOR loans is 2.25% per annum, and the applicable margin for base rate loans is 1.25% per annum, in each case with a 0.50% step-up beginning on February 25, 2019. Interest on LIBOR loans is due and payable at the end of each applicable LIBOR period (and at the end of every three month period within the LIBOR period, if any), and interest on base rate loans is due and payable at the end of each calendar quarter.
We pay a commitment fee equal to an annual rate of 40% of the margin for LIBOR loans multiplied by the average daily amount of the undrawn commitment, payable quarterly in arrears. The DSR Facility and the revolving credit facility are both available for the issuance of letters of credit, which incur a fee equal to an annual rate of 2.25% of the undrawn portion with a 0.50% step-up beginning on February 25, 2019.
The 2016 CQP Credit Facilities mature on February 25, 2020, with principal payments due quarterly commencing on March 31, 2019. The outstanding balance may be repaid, in whole or in part, at any time without premium or penalty, except for interest hedging and interest rate breakage costs. The 2016 CQP Credit Facilities contain conditions precedent for extensions of credit, as well as customary affirmative and negative covenants and limit our ability to make restricted payments, including distributions, to once per fiscal quarter as long as certain conditions are satisfied. Under the 2016 CQP Credit Facilities, we are required to hedge not less than 50% of the variable interest rate exposure on its projected aggregate outstanding balance, maintain a minimum debt service coverage ratio of at least 1.15x at the end of each fiscal quarter beginning March 31, 2019 and have a projected debt service coverage ratio of 1.55x in order to incur additional indebtedness to refinance a portion of the existing obligations.
The 2016 CQP Credit Facilities are unconditionally guaranteed by each of our subsidiaries other than (1) SPL and (2) certain of our subsidiaries owning other development projects, as well as certain other specified subsidiaries and members of the foregoing entities.
Restrictive Debt Covenants
As of December 31, 2017, we and SPL were in compliance with all covenants related to our respective debt agreements.
Interest Expense
Total interest expense consisted of the following (in millions):
Fair Value Disclosures
The following table shows the carrying amount and estimated fair value of our debt (in millions):
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